Updated: Hall will find new rec center site

by jmaloni

Sat, Nov 26th 2011 07:00 am

by Joshua Maloni

Gary Hall's mission is clear: The Waste Technology
Services president and CEO wants to build a new recreation center for the
Lewiston community - its children, in particular. But Hall doesn't want to
finance the $2 million project at the expense of village residents, who asked
him Monday night to relocate the project from its planned site behind the Red
Brick Municipal Building on Onondaga Street.

Neighbors expressed concern over the size of the building,
its operational cost to taxpayers, and its environmental impact. Following
former Mayor Richard Soluri's Johnnie Cochran-inspired comment, "If it doesn't
fit, you don't permit," Hall said, "I certainly don't want to do anything the
local folks don't want. That's not my intention."

Following a second wave of comments, Hall conceded, "I
would never do this if you don't want it here. We'll find a better place to do
it."

When Mayor Terry Collesano asked the audience of about 60
if they would prefer a new location for the recreation center (he proposes the
Artpark plateau), they clapped vigorously in approval.

Soluri said building a recreation center on top of the
park dedicated to former Mayor Marilyn Toohey would dishonor her legacy.

Resident Eva Nicklas said, "I am not opposed to smart
growth or development - and I like the idea of a sports complex - but I am dead
set against developing any green space."

Her friend and Lewiston Council on the Arts colleague Tim
Henderson said, "A recreation center is probably a good idea - just not here."

Hall wants to create an indoor facility capable of
offering tennis, soccer, basketball and professional coaching.

"I just think it's really important to support our local
community," he said. Later, Hall added, "I just think it's important to have a
place for the kids to stay active."

In addition to the plateau, Hall mentioned the Pletcher
Road park area across from Stella Niagara as a possible relocation site.
Residents suggested he also consider the Lewiston-Porter campus and Frontier
Lanes.

Following the meeting, Hall appeared disappointed, but
said he was comfortable with the comments. He said the discussion was
productive, and he is "absolutely" actively moving forward.

"From prior meetings with the folks, I didn't realize that
folks felt so strongly about this location, and once I did, it was a pretty
easy decision," he said.

Hall offered to provide the full funding (via himself and
partners) for the Onondaga Street recreation center, which would've been a
stone's throw from his North Second Street office.

"We didn't want it to be a burden on the taxpayers," Hall
said.

When asked if the project was contingent on finding a site
in the Village of Lewiston, he said, "I'm going to look elsewhere. I'm not
sure. It's going to be in the area, though. I'm not sure if it's going to be
maybe in the village or in the town. We'll have to wait and see. We'll have to
really find the best location going forward here.

"Quite honestly, I was hopeful to have the plans complete
and to begin construction in the spring, because I'd like it to be fully
operational by about the first of November of next year. That's my goal."

With regard to the other locations mentioned as a site for
the recreation center, Hall said, "The plateau doesn't have any infrastructure.
There's no electricity; there's no water; there's no roads. I guess there would
be plenty of parking, but that would have to be added to it."

"There were other locations that I thought of, like down
on Pletcher Road in the town, across from Stella Niagara," he said. "Looks like
there's plenty of space and plenty of parking out there. But, it's in the town;
it's not the village. I'd probably need to talk to another group of folks to
make that happen."

Residents expressed concern over what the building would
cost once it's open. Hall doesn't have a business plan, but previously said he
doesn't intend to own the building. He would work with the village to create a
management team.

"The biggest concern I had was how do we make it sustainable,"
Hall said. He suggested implementing fees similar to what other indoor
recreation facilities charge users. Such dues would cover the building's
maintenance and management costs.

To those in the audience who were dismayed about paying to
use the recreation center, Hall said, "I don't want to turn anyone away who
can't afford it."

Soluri said the village should work with the Town of
Lewiston - if not the Town of Porter and Village of Youngstown, too - to offset
operational costs.

Collesano said Hall was looking to build in the Village of
Lewiston because, "this is the center of the population of the area."

"Gary was looking to do something to support his local
community. ... We'd still like to have it in the village," he said.

News and Notes

•Also at Monday's Village Board meeting, trustees approved
the site plan for 904-908 Center St., which will be remodeled and converted
into offices for the Niagara Family Medicine Group.

•The board approved the closing of Center Street (from
Fourth to Sixth streets) for the Lewiston Garden Club's GardenFest on June
23-24, 2012. Trustees tabled the motion in October, seeking more time to review
recommendations from Collesano's ad hoc committee.

The mayor said the village was essentially doing all of
the things the committee suggested, but will ensure additional steps are taken
to keep business owners and residents informed as to when and why Center Street
is closed.

•Trustees are looking into adding parking spaces around
Academy Park. New spaces along the Hibbard's Liquor/Lewiston Computer/Deal
Realty/Lewiston Animal Hospital/Warren's Hardware corridor would face the park
and the businesses.

•The board tabled a motion to increase water and sewer
rates pending an analysis of what other local municipalities charge residents.